President Assad blames anti-regime protests on 'conspirators' trying to destroy the country

Syrian president Bashar Assad today blamed a wave of anti-regime protests on 'conspirators' trying to destroy the country.

But the speech - his first address to the nation since the demonstrations erupted nearly two weeks ago - was surprising not so much for what he said but for what he left out.

He had been widely expected to announce an end to nearly 50 years of widely despised state of emergency laws that have given the regime a free hand to arrest people without charges.

That Mr Assad failed to mention any
of them was a major disappointment for thousands of protesters who have
taken to the streets for the past three weeks, calling for reform.

A spokesman for the regime said last week that the government had formed a committee to study a series of reforms and constitutional amendments, including lifting the state of emergency laws, in place since Mr Assad's Baath party took power in 1963.

'We don't seek battles,' Mr Assad, 45, said in an unusually short, televised speech before legislators who cheered for him and shouted support from their seats. 'But if a battle is imposed on us today, we welcome it.'

Within minutes of his speech, social networking sites exploded with activists expressing disappointment, with some calling on Syrians to take to the streets immediately.

'The fact that he is blaming everything on conspirators means that he does not even acknowledge the root of the problem,' said Razan Zaitouneh, a Syrian lawyer and pro-reform activist.

'I don't have an explanation for this speech, I am in a state of shock ... There are already calls for a day of anger on Friday. This cannot sit well with the Syrian people.'

You're too kind: President Assad acknowledges applause before beginning his address to the parliament in Damascus - his first since the violence broke out three weeks ago

Human rights groups say more than 60 people have been killed in a crackdown on protests that began on March 18.

But Mr Assad today said security forces were given 'clear instructions' not to harm citizens during the protests, which started after security forces arrested several teenagers who scrawled anti-government graffiti on a wall in the impoverished city of Daraa in the south.

Yesterday, Mr Assad accepted the resignation of his cabinet as pro-regime supporters took to the streets in several Syrian cities.

Show of support: A pro-regime protester waves the Syrian flag as she looks down to crowds demonstrating in support of their president in Damascus

Loyalty: Regime supporters shout pro-Assad slogans and hold up his portrait as they demonstrate to show support for their president in Damascus

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Government sanctioned rallies - dubbed 'loyalty to the nation' marches - brought hundreds of thousands on to the streets in Damascus, the capital, the provinces of Aleppo and Hasakeh in the north, and the central cities of Hama and Homs.

School children were given the day off and bank employees and other workers were given two hours off to attend the demonstrations.

Mr Assad, who inherited power 11 years ago from his father, appears to be following the lead of other autocratic leaders in the region who tried to put down popular uprisings by offering minor concessions and brutal crackdowns.